Editing First Choice Airways

{{Short description|Defunct charter airline of the United Kingdom (1987–2008)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline          = First Choice Airways
| logo             = First Choice Airways logo.png
| logo_size        = 
| IATA             = DP
| ICAO             = FCA
| callsign         = JETSET
| parent           = [[First Choice (UK)|First Choice Group plc]]
| founded          = {{start date|1987|04|11|df=yes}}<br />{{small|(as ''Air 2000'')}}
| commenced        = {{start date|2004|03|28|df=yes}}<br />{{small|(as ''First Choice Airways'')}}
| ceased           = {{end date|2008|11|01|df=yes}}<br />{{small|(merged with [[Thomsonfly]] to form [[Thomson Airways]])}}
| headquarters     = [[Crawley]], [[West Sussex]], [[England]]
| alliance         = 
| hubs             = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[Birmingham Airport|Birmingham]]
  | [[Gatwick Airport|London–Gatwick]]
  | [[Manchester Airport|Manchester]]}}
| secondary_hubs   = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[Belfast International Airport|Belfast–International]]
  | [[Bristol Airport|Bristol]]
  | [[East Midlands Airport|East Midlands]]
  | [[Exeter Airport|Exeter]]
  | [[Glasgow Airport|Glasgow]]
  | [[London Stansted Airport|London–Stansted]]}}
| focus_cities     = {{ubl|class=nowrap
  | [[Cardiff Airport|Cardiff]]
  | [[Cork Airport|Cork]]
  | [[Dublin Airport|Dublin]]
  | [[Edinburgh Airport|Edinburgh]]
  | [[Leeds Bradford Airport|Leeds/Bradford]]}}
| fleet_size       = 
| destinations     = 
| key_people       = Christine Browne ([[Managing Director]])
| website          = {{URL|www.firstchoice.co.uk/flights}}
| image            = 
| aoc              = 
| frequent_flyer   = 
| num_employees    = 
}}

'''First Choice Airways Limited''' was a British [[charter airline]] of European tour operator [[TUI Travel plc]], based in [[Crawley]], England until its merger with [[Thomsonfly]] to form Thomson Airways (now [[TUI Airways]]) in 2008. It flew to more than 60 destinations worldwide from 14 UK and Irish airports.<ref name="FI">{{cite news|title=Directory: World Airlines|work=[[Flight International]]|page=82|date=3 April 2007}}</ref> 70% of the airline's services were operated for its parent company, rising to 85% in the summer season, with the remainder on behalf of some 120 other tour operators. It also operated scheduled year-round leisure routes to [[Cyprus]] and the resorts of Spain and [[Portugal]].

Its hubs were [[Birmingham Airport]], [[London Gatwick Airport]] (primary hub), and [[Manchester Airport]]. The long haul services were sold only by internal companies such as First Choice Holidays, Eclipse Direct, Sunsail, Sovereign, Hayes and Jarvis and Unijet. The airline also operated luxury 'Around The World' flights each winter on behalf of TCS Expeditions. {{Citation needed|date=May 2007}}

The company held a [[Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom)|United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority]] Type A Operating Licence, permitting it to carry passengers, cargo and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?categoryid=183&pagetype=90&pageid=340CAA|title=Page not found - UK Civil Aviation Authority|website=Caa.co.uk|accessdate=9 November 2018}}</ref>

==History==
===Air 2000===
[[File:Air2000_Logo,_January_1994.svg|thumb|left|145px|Air 2000 logo]]
[[File:G-OOAH A321-211 Air 2000 MAN 29MAR02 (6998792492).jpg|thumb|An Air 2000 [[Airbus A321-200]] in 'Tapestry' livery taxiing at [[Manchester Airport]] in 2002]]

The airline started operations on 11 April 1987, launched by the Owners Abroad Group under the name '''Air 2000''', with two [[Boeing 757-200]]s and a flight from Manchester to [[Málaga Airport|Málaga]].<ref name="FI"/> The 757s were re-equipped for extended range and flights to the [[United States]] began in 1989. Their fleet doubled a year later, with one aircraft being based at [[Glasgow Airport]]. In the same year, the airline set up a subsidiary in [[Canada]], to be called ''Air 2000 Airline Ltd''.  This subsidiary lasted only a few days before the Canadian government suspended its licence. The second attempt was more successful and became [[Canada 3000]].

Long haul services to [[Mombasa]] in [[Kenya]] were introduced during the 1988/89 season. The airline was granted a licence for scheduled operations by the [[Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom|CAA]] in 1992, which commenced in 1993, initially between London-Gatwick and [[Paphos]], Cyprus. Scheduled services were distinguished by the use of the 'DP' identifier with the flight number, while purely-charter flights used the 'AMM' identifier. Over the next few years scheduled routes to Cyprus from Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester and Newcastle were introduced. 

Expansion saw new bases in the UK established, with [[Dublin]] becoming the airline's first overseas hub in 1996. In 1997, the airline signed a lease deal for two [[Boeing 767-300ER]] aircraft with [[GE Capital Aviation Services|GECAS]], having also examined the option of introducing the larger [[A330-200]], but opting instead for the 767.<ref>{{Cite web |last=1997-12-17T00:00:00+00:00 |title=Air 2000 to expand long-haul operations with 767-300 |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/air-2000-to-expand-long-haul-operations-with-767-300/18794.article |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=Flight Global |language=en}}</ref> In 1998, Air 2000 parent company [[First Choice (UK)|First Choice]] purchased rival tour operator Unijet for £110 million, with Unijet's in-house airline [[Leisure International Airways]] (LIA) being fully integrated in to Air 2000.<ref name="FI"/> This included the entire fleet of aircraft and an order for two [[Airbus A330-200]]s. Before the merger, LIA had planned to replace its two 767s leased from [[International Lease Finance Corporation|ILFC]] with the newly ordered A330-200s, but in 1999 First Choice cancelled in favour of retaining the two [[Boeing 767-300ER]] alongside the two it had ordered from GECAS.<ref>{{Cite web |last=1998-07-08T00:00:00+01:00 |title=Air 2000 makes LIA fleet merger first priority |url=https://www.flightglobal.com:443/air-2000-makes-lia-fleet-merger-first-priority/21807.article |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=Flight Global |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=1999-03-17T00:00:00+00:00 |title=Air 2000 delays A330s in favour of 767s |url=https://www.flightglobal.com:443/air-2000-delays-a330s-in-favour-of-767s/25421.article |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=Flight Global |language=en}}</ref> In 2000, additional scheduled services were introduced from eight UK airports to six major Spanish and Portuguese holiday destinations. Air 2000 received a new colour scheme which, by March 2004, the ''Air 2000'' branding was removed and ''First Choice Airways'' branding added.

===First Choice===
The airline carried 6.5 million passengers during 2002. The 2005 total was 6.0 million - fifth highest passenger figures of any UK airline. In 2004 it announced plans to refurbish another six Boeing 767-300 aircraft to expand its long haul operations. The airline was the first in the UK to use the [[Boeing 777]]-style interior on their 767 fleet. The company had six aircraft flying long haul in 2007, in a two class layout, 63 Premium, 195 Economy. All seats featured Panasonic seat back entertainment and mood lighting in Star Class Premier.

On 23 April 2007, First Choice confirmed it is to close its bases at [[London Luton Airport]] and [[Cardiff]] from 1 November 2007 however due to the merger with Thomsonfly who also operate from these bases, the combined airline will still operate from these bases.

===Merger with Thomsonfly===
In March 2008, the tourism division of the airline's parent group [[TUI AG]], merged with [[First Choice (travel firm)|First Choice Holidays PLC]], forming the new company [[TUI Travel]]. Both Thomsonfly and First Choice Airways would be merged as Thomson Airways.

Thomsonfly Limited changed its name to Thomson Airways Limited in November 2008 and the Thomsonfly operating certificate was changed to Thomson Airways with effect from 1 November 2008. On that date, [[Thomsonfly]] and First Choice Airways both rebranded their operations to [[Thomson Airways]], merging with a fleet of 75 aircraft. There is however an order of 12 new Boeing 787 aircraft which will make the fleet 75 once more.

As of 2 October 2017, Thomson Airways began operating under [[TUI Airways]], leaving any vestige of UK travel heritage behind.

==Corporate affairs==
[[File:First Choice Holidays plc HQ, County Oak, Crawley, West Sussex - geograph.org.uk - 24524.jpg|thumb|First Choice House]]
The head office was located in the First Choice House in [[Crawley]], [[West Sussex]].<ref>"[https://web.archive.org/web/20070304183821/http://www.firstchoice.co.uk/ Home]." First Choice Airways. 4 March 2007. Retrieved on 4 January 2011. "First Choice Holidays PLC. First Choice House, London Road, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 9GX"</ref><ref>''[[Kenya Gazette]]''. [[Government of Kenya]]. 12 May 2006. Vol. 108, No. 33. [https://books.google.com/books?id=PHy5SWQtaakC&pg=PA990 p. 990]. Retrieved from [[Google Books]] on 4 January 2011. "First Choice Airways Limited, First Choice House, London Road, Crawley, West Sussex, RH10 9GK, England"</ref> When First Choice was an independent airline, 450 employees worked there. After the merger with [[Thomsonfly]], TUI moved employees out. The final 70-80 employees were relocated to the former [[Air 2000]] offices at [[Gatwick Airport]].<ref>Dennis, Juliet. "[http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/01/06/29876/management-structure-of-thomson-and-first-choice-shops.html Management structure of Thomson and First Choice shops merged] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422135402/http://www.travelweekly.co.uk/Articles/2009/01/06/29876/management-structure-of-thomson-and-first-choice-shops.html |date=22 April 2012 }}." ''Travel Weekly''. 6 January 2009. Retrieved on 4 January 2011.</ref>

==Fleet==
===Final fleet===
[[File:First Choice Airways Boeing 757 Spijkers.jpg|thumb|A First Choice [[Boeing 757-200]] in 'Starfish' livery taking off at [[Manchester Airport]] in 2005]]
The First Choice fleet included the following aircraft (at May 2008):<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=60&pagetype=65&appid=1&mode=summary&owner=First+Choice|title=Aircraft registration - UK Civil Aviation Authority|website=Caa.co.uk|accessdate=9 November 2018}}{{Dead link|date=April 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.planespotters.net/airline/First-Choice-Airways|title=First Choice Airways Fleet Details and History|website=Planespotters.net|access-date=February 26, 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="margin:0.5em auto; text-align:center"
|+ Air 2000 and First Choice Airways fleet
|-
!Aircraft
!In <br> service
!Orders
!Passengers
!Notes
|-
|[[Airbus A320-200]]
|7
|&mdash;
|180
|Few wet lease to Skyservice Airlines for winter season
|-
|[[Airbus A321-200]]
|6
|&mdash;
|218
|
|-
|[[Boeing 757-200]]
|20
|&mdash;
|233
|Few wet lease to Skyservice Airlines for winter season
|-
|[[Boeing 767-300ER]]
|8
|&mdash;
|258
|2x ex Leisure International Airways
|-
|[[Boeing 787-8]]
|&mdash;
|12
|<abbr title="To Be Announced">TBA</abbr>
|Orders transferred to [[TUI Airways|Thomson Airways]].
|-
!Total
!41
!12
!colspan=2|
|-
|}

===Aircraft orders===
The airline would have been the UK launch customer for the [[Boeing 787 Dreamliner]], having placed a firm order for six aircraft in February 2005, with an option for a further six. In December 2006, the airline announced the purchase of a further two 787 Dreamliners, taking its order to eight aircraft. In March 2007 First Choice Airways announced it was converting all four remaining options to orders, bringing the total to 12 aircraft.

Although planned to enter service in summer 2009, delays to the Boeing 787 programme mean that First Choice Airways would not have been able to introduce the aircraft to the fleet until 2011.<ref>{{cite news|title=Boeing 787 Dreamliner: a timeline of problems|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/comment/Boeing-787-Dreamliner-a-timeline-of-problems/|newspaper=[[The Daily Telegraph]]|accessdate=13 April 2018}}</ref> Each Boeing 787-8 would have replaced a Boeing 767-300 on long haul routes as they were delivered. The deliveries were expected to take around two years, with six aircraft expected to be based at [[Manchester Airport]] and the remainder based at [[London Gatwick Airport]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.firstchoiceholidaysplc.com/fchplc/media/press/?ref=110&year=|title=TUI Group – Der weltweit führende Touristikkonzern|website=Firstchoiceholidaysplc.com|accessdate=9 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070514121413/http://www.firstchoiceholidaysplc.com/fchplc/media/press/?ref=110&year=|archive-date=14 May 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The 2008 merger with Thomsonfly meant the newly formed airline, Thomson Airways, inherited the orders and was the UK launch customer. Following the delays in Boeing's development programme, the airline began flights with its first 787 in June 2013<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/boeing-787-dreamliner-launch-300-passengers-enjoy-surprise-flight-as-the-future-of-aviation-departs-from-gatwick-8668683.html|title=Boeing 787 Dreamliner launch: 300 passengers enjoy surprise flight as|website=Independent.co.uk|date=22 June 2013 |accessdate=9 November 2018}}</ref>

==In-flight services==
First Choice Airways could include a three course meal pre-ordered for the flight; on First Choice-operated flights it was free of charge if the flight was a long haul flight, if the passengers booked a Premier Holiday. In addition the airline offered drinks, snacks, and sandwiches for purchase as part of a [[buy on board]] programme.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.firstchoice.co.uk/help/flights-and-flying-information/meals-on-board/|title=All Inclusive Holidays with First Choice|website=Firstchoice.co.uk|accessdate=9 November 2018}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of defunct airlines of the United Kingdom]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
*[[Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom)|United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority]] Statistics of passengers carried by UK. Airlines 2002 and 2005 (Tables 1.6.0)

==External links==
{{commonscat-inline|First Choice Airways}}
*{{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/*/http://www.air2000.com|title=Air 2000}} [Dead Link]
*[https://web.archive.org/*/http://www.firstchoice.co.uk/ Official website] (Archive)

{{Portal bar|West Sussex|Companies|Aviation}}
{{Airlines of the United Kingdom}}

[[Category:Airlines established in 1987]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2008]]
[[Category:Defunct airlines of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Companies based in Crawley]]
[[Category:TUI Group]]